Top Trend: Backup power systems

Backup power systems such as inverters with batteries, or even full-on solar power installations, are already regarded as "standard" rather than "optional" in the luxury sector of the property market, with agents around the country reporting that high-end buyers just assume now that such systems will be in place in the homes they view, and included in the asking price.

However, they say, this expectation is not yet nearly so widespread in the rest of the market, despite by higher electricity costs as well as the higher levels of loadshedding, and the continued growth of working from home and building home-based businesses.

As a consequence, backup and alternative power systems are still a marketing and price differentiator in the general market. 

SA's building regulations already provide for all new builds to include a certain basic level of alternative power usage, and this is expected to be increased in the wake of changes to power generation legislation that substantially increase the amount of "green" electricity that private providers may generate - and will in due course enable households producing excess green power to feed it into the national grid.

In addition, many sectional title complexes and gated estates already have large generators to enable them to keep the power flowing to security systems, lifts and other communal facilities, so buyers in new and existing developments are already used to the idea of green power solutions - and more surprised when these are not in place.

There has also been a huge increase recently in the number of businesses offering to install backup power systems consisting of inverters and storage batteries, which are relatively inexpensive and can hopefully be linked to solar panels if and when homeowners decide to go completely off-grid.

This has boosted awareness of what is needed to keep more than the lights, internet and fridge on during loadshedding. For now, though, backup systems are by no means standard in all traditional suburban properties, and homes that do have them definitely have greater appeal for prospective buyers and are selling faster, the agents report. 

On the other hand, most buyers are prepared to install backup systems themselves when necessary - and may in fact prefer to do so, in order to ensure that they are getting good quality equipment and a professional installation, but they are now likely to deduct the estimated cost of that from the price they offer for the property.

So the message to sellers is clearly that it is worth spending the money to install a good basic backup system (not a generator), especially since these can now be acquired on a rent-to-own basis and are even being financed by the banks.

It is also vital that they hire a qualified and certified installer, for two reasons. The first is that they will get the right advice as to the type and size of backup system they need, and the second is that their homeowner's insurance will not be invalidated by having someone unqualified work on their electrical system.